Toledo's trying out a new automated trash pickup program, with special trash bins that are mechanically picked up by the truck (rather than a human having to jump out and pick them up). Evidently, some people are painting their addresses on the bins, but the bins don't actually belong to either the people using them or to the city, but are the property of the trash company. And since this is a pilot program, if the city doesn't follow through, they'll have to pay the trash company for the defaced bins, so they're asking people not to paint on them.
OK, all well and good. A standard public information campaign, which is entirely legitimate. But then this:
One of the pluses of this program is the look of uniformity these identical containers brings to the city. Spray-painted addresses closely [resemble] graffit and [detract] from that uniform appearance.Oh, god forbid our trash bins don't all look the same! We should all be nervous anytime public officials want to enforce aesthetic uniformity. Next thing you know, someone might find it amusing to paint a smily face on their trash bin, or some other such symbol of anarchic rebellion.
Maybe we can just cover up the defaced bins by putting black shirts on them.
